By Lauryn Longacre, Staff Writer
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion held a Let’s Talk to discuss the experiences of being nonbinary and transgender on Oct. 8. The talk welcomed guest speaker Tory Smith, the director of direct services at Huntingdon House.
Smith discussed the issues they encountered growing up as nonbinary in a rural community much like Selinsgrove and what it is like to be nonbinary in the professional workplace.
Smith said they were not exposed to nonbinary identities or transgender acceptance growing up, which can lead to trauma. They said that trauma can be minimized by finding more ways to hold inclusive conversations about people who are trans and nonbinary.
“There is always going to be an opportunity to support somebody,” Smith said. “The more that we can get education out there, the more LGBTQ+ will be exposed to it.”
Smith encouraged people of all genders to spend time thinking about their own gender because it can be a learning experience that could help people survive. “The one thing that’s absolutely fact about gender is that it’s extremely personal and very unique for each of us,” they said.
“When we’re talking about the experience with gender, there’s no one way we experience gender. That’s helpful, because it’s true for cis-gendered people too, it’s not just a transgender thing.”
One topic that has circled the media for a few years is that of transgender and nonbinary bathrooms, which Smith said although talking about it is tiring, it is also important. “It represents the erasure. I think if I’m talking about my… experience, in some ways erasure is at the core of my identity, which is not a healthy thing,” Smith said.
Sophomore Anna Matthews shared their experience on campus as a nonbinary student.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve told [professors] ‘Hey, these are my pronouns’ and I know it’s not malicious intent when they misgender me,” Matthews said. “But it does add up, especially as a nonbinary person and it gets to the point where I break sometimes.”
Smith also talked about the positive sides of nonbinary inclusion in the present day. One positive included the availability of the “other” box when filling out the gender and being able to add their gender.
Matthews said the discussion about the positive aspects was their favorite part of the conversation as they felt they always talk about the negatives they have to deal with.
“To stop and think and reflect on the positives that I’ve gone through and then I’ve seen my life and my identity change other peoples’ lives in a positive way, that is such a powerful feeling for me,” they said.
Matthews said they were excited for their future career as an educator.
One thing that they are most excited about is the available gender-neutral title Mx. as an option compared to the binary Mr. and Ms. “I love that that is out there already so that when I’m a teacher, I don’t have to look for something,” Matthews said.
Matthews is excited to help influence future generations to become more open-minded with nonbinary identities.
“I’m really excited because they are the children, and they are the people that are going to be most inclusive, and if they see one Mexican, nonbinary lesbian, one is enough for most people,” they said.